Stud removing tool

ABSTRACT

A stud or nut removing tool has a hollow tubular casing with a thin wall internally formed into at least one lobe, each lobe constituting an inclined cam face and extending axially from an open lower end to a partially closed upper end. At least one generally cylindrical, elongated roller, or pin, is provided, either resiliently urged outwardly in contact with one of said lobes by a central spring means or loosely held by rib and groove means. Each roller is otherwise free to roll along the inclined cam face in either direction and to tilt when the lower portion of the roller engages a stud or nut for removal thereof. The outer ends of the rollers are exposed to slidably receive the stud or nut and the tips of the rollers are flush with the rim of the casing.

[ June 17, 1975 Young STUD REMOVING TOOL Primary ExaminerJames L. Jones, Jr. [76] Inventor: Richard H. Young, 212 Andover Attorney Agent or Firm-Pearson & Pearson Rd., Billerica, Mass. 01821 22 Filed: Aug. 14, 1974 ABSTRACT [21] APP] NO; 497,226 A stud or nut removing tool has a hollow tubular casing with a thin wall internally formed into at least one lobe, each lobe constituting an inclined cam face and [52] US. Cl. 8l/53.2; 279/55; 279/72 extending axially from an open |ower end to a partially Int. Cl B25b 13/50 Closed upper At least one generally cylindrical held of Search 81/532 115; elongated roller, or pin, is provided, either resiliently 279/55 72 urged outwardly in contact with one of said lobes by a central spring means or loosely held by rib and groove References Clted means. Each roller is otherwise free to roll along the UNITED STATES PATENTS inclined cam face in either direction and to tilt when 1,012,731 12/1911 Sjostrand 279/71 X the lower Portion Of the roller g g a stud of nut 1,740,377 12/1929 Snyder et a1.. 81/532 X for removal thereof. The outer ends of the rollers are 1,898,726 2/1933 Hess 1 279/72 X exposed to slidably receive the stud or nut and the tips 2,027,534 1/1936 Ingersoll 1 81/53-2 of the rollers are flush with the rim of the casing. 2,063,344 12/1936 Schneider 1. 8l/53.2 X I 17 Claims, 13 Drawing Figures LI I l 20 24 26 4?\ V 46 4O 51 5 52 STUD REMOVING TOOL BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION It has long been a problem to provide a chuck, wrench or stud removing tool capable of obtaining a positive, firm grip on a worn edged nut, bolt head, stud or dowel, for the purpose of turning it for unthreading and removal. This is especially true when the work pieces are close together, as in the bolt heads holding a cylinder head to a cylinder block of an engine, there being little room for gripping and turning, and especially where rust has occurred and wear has been excessive.

Stud tools of the collet and chuck type have been variously designated as stud pullers, stud removers, stud extractors and stud tighteners, and generally of the collet and chuck type construction as shown in US. Pat. No. 2,497,214 to Dreyer of Feb. 14, 1950 US. Pat. No. 3,413,876 to Shinn of Dec. 3, 1968 US. Pat. No. 3,529,497 to Brooks of Sept. 22, 1970 and US. Pat. No. 3,735,650 to Weng of May 29, 1973.

Most such devices have relatively thick follet edges and collet edges so that they cannot enter between two adjacent studs to obtain a grip and often tend to slip when encountering an especially obstinate work piece.

It has also been proposed to provide a stud tool or chuck with a head having an inside face of lobular configuration and a plurality of tapered rollers, operable in the lobes to move inwardly and grip a stud for driving or removal. Such devices are examplified by US. Pat. No. 1,898,726 to Hess of Feb. 21, 1933 and US. Pat. No. 2,220,654 to Kirkland of Nov. 5, 1940. A somewhat similar structure wherein a stack of ball bearings take the place of the rollers is disclosed in US. Pat. No. 1,740,377 to Snyder of Dec. 17, 1929.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The stud removing tool of this invention is of the lobular wall, roller type but is characterized by having an unusually thin lobular wall for entering narrow spaces, and having elongated, generally cylindrical rollers, or pins also of unusually small diameter for the same purpose. The rollers, or pins, are not unyieldably trapped, or restrained relative to the lobular cam faces in which they ride, as in prior art devices but are either resiliently urged outwardly by spring means, preferably in the form of a rubber ring, or similar yieldable resilient element or are loosely held by mating ribs and grooves. Thus when the exposed outer or lower ends of the rollers are in engagement with a worn edged stud, or nut, and the tool is turned, the rollers, or pins, are free to tilt and roll and increase their grip but cannot become loose or fall out.

As an added assurance against fall out even when a resilient keeper is used, the rollers and the inside lobular faces have mating grooves and protuberances to prevent fall out.

There thus may be only three parts to the device, the lobular walled casing, one generally cylindrical roller and one retainer means for retaining the roller in the casing. Therefore the device is capable of manufacture at low cost while being rugged, efficient and usable in locations where other tools would be clumsy or unworkable.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIG. 1 is a side elevational view, in half section of a stud removing tool constructed in accordance with the invention;

FIG. 2 is a view similar to FIG. 1 showing the elongated, cylindrical rollers freely tilting as they engage a work piece and the tool is turned;

FIG. 3 is a top plan view in section on line 33 of FIG. 1, on an enlarged scale;

FIG. 4 is a top plan view in section on line 4-4 of FIG. 2, on an enlarged scale;

FIG. 5 is a side elevational view showing various configurations of rollers with retaining ribs and grooves;

FIG. 6 is a top plan view;

FIG. 7 is a side elevation in half section and FIG. 8 is a bottom plan view of an embodiment of the invention having ribs and grooves;

FIG. 9 is a top plan view;

FIG. 10 is a side elevation in half section and FIG. 11 is a bottom plan view of an embodiment of the invention with the rollers loosely depending by a tip flange;

FIG. 12 is a bottom plan view of an embodiment having only four rollers and lobes for square nuts, and

FIG. 13 is a bottom plan view of an embodiment having only one roller and lobe with a serrated surface inside the casing.

DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT As shown in the drawing, a stud gripping tool 20 constructed in accordance with the invention, includes a hollow, tubular casing 21 of metal, having a relatively thin, cylindrical side wall 22, for example, about one sixteenth of an inch in thickness, an open outer end 23 and a partially, or entirely, closed inner end 24. A broached, angular recess 25 is provided in the inner end 24 for receiving a socket wrench 26 of known type but it will be understood that any other means for turning the casing to remove, or drive a stud could be used.

The inside face 27 of the casing 21 is integrally formed with at least one, and preferably with a plurality of, axially extending lobes, or cam faces, 28, 29 and 31, each of which is symmetrical so that camming action results in either direction of turning. The thickness of the wall 22 at the maximum thickness 32 of the lobular wall may be about two sixteenths of an inch, although the specified dimensions are only for illustration purposes and to show that'the open end of the tool is intended to be able to enter between closely spaced studs, dowels or the like. The lobes 28, 29 and 31 are in parallelism with the central longitudinal axis 33 of the casing 21. The outer edge 34 extending peripherally around the open end 23 is flat, planar and normal to the axis 33.

A plurality of elongated, axially'extending rollers, of generally cylindrical configuration, 35, 36 and 37 are provided, each having an inner end 38 and an exposed outer end 39, the exposed outer ends having flat planar tips such as 41 normally aligned with, coplanar and flush with the flat outer edge 34 of the casing 21. The cylindrical rollers 35, 36 and 37 are of relatively small diameter such as about one sixteenth of an inch so that they could be termed cylindrical pins. It will be seen in FIG. 3, that when the pins are in the low portion 42 of the lobes the thin wall 22 of the casing and the small diameter roller in rolling contact within the lobe, to-

gether only take up about two sixteenths of an inch in thickness.

In larger sizes the roller diameter and configuration remain the same and only the diameter of the casing and the roller retaining means become progressively greater.

Roller retaining means 40 may be in the form of spring means 43 urging, or biasing the inner ends 38 of the rollers 35, 36 and 37 outwardly into rolling contact with the inside, lobular faces 28, 29 and 31. Preferably spring means 43 is a resilient, flexible, yieldable rubberlike element, 44, which may be elastomeric, and which only occupies the inner end portion of casing 21 between the rollers. Preferably the rubber-like spring element 44 is annular and either mounted around a solid metal pin affixed centrally of the inner end 24 of the casing 21, or preferably mounted around a hollow metal tube 45 having its inner end 46 press fitted, or welded, in a suitable annular groove 47. The outer end 48 of tube 45 includes an annular, out-turned flange 49 for retaining the annular element 44 in position. Preferably also the resilient annular element 44 includes an enlarged integral outturned flange portion 51, extending about the inner tips 52 of the rollers to form a resilient yieldable flexible seat therefor.

As best shown in FIG. 5, the inner end 24 of casing 21 includes an opening 53 for accommodating the upper portion of a stud 54, which is being removed from a block 55.

As also shown in FIG. 5, rib and groove means 56 may be provided to co-act in preventing the rollers from inadvertently falling out of the casing. Each generally cylindrical roller 57, may have an enlarged rib 58 extending circumferentially around the inner end and loosely received in a groove 59 extending circumferentiallyaround the lobular faces 28, 29 and 31. Similarly a roller 61 may have a series of sharp edged, annular teeth 62, adapted to bite into a stud, each separated by one of a plurality of grooves 63. An inwardly projecting annular rib 64 extends integrally and circumferentially around the inner end of the lobular wall of the casing to enter one of the grooves 63 of each roller and prevent the same from inadvertently falling out.

Another embodiment of the invention is illustrated in FIGS. 6, 7 and 8 wherein six rollers such as 35 are provided in a thin walled casing 21 having six lobular cam faces such as 28, 29 and 31. The rollers 35, while generally cylindrical each include at least one annular groove 71 and rib 72, corresponding to grooves 63 and ribs 64 of FIG. 5. However the retaining means 40 is a press fitted tube, or ferrule, 73, corresponding to tube 45 and having projecting annular ribs 74, corresponding to flange 49 which are loosely received in the grooves 71, and which are separated by grooves 75. The inner tips 52 of the rollers 35 are spaced from the inner endof the casing to permit circumferential movement, tilt and roll of the rollers, without danger of fall out when the exposed outer ends 39 of the rollers slidably receive a stud or nut for removal.

Still another embodiment of the invention is shown in FIGS. 9, l and 11 in which the thin walled casing 21 is provided with six lobes such as 28, 29 and 31 but the inside face 27 is also tapered as at 80. The generally cylindrical rollers such as 35, 36 and 37 each include an enlarged rib or flange 81 at the inner terminal tip thereof and the inner ends 38 of the rollers depend loosely in suitable apertures 82 in the partially closed inner end 24 of the casing. By this means only one pin and one casing could be used, the aperture 82 and flange 81 constituting the roller retaining means 40 of the invention.

In FIG. 12 an embodiment of the invention is shown in which there are only four lobes such as 28, 29 and 31 and only four rollers such as 35, 36 and 37 for gripping studs and nuts having four side walls.

In FIG. 13 still another embodiment of the invention is illustrated in which the thin walled casing 21 includes only one axially extending lobular cam face 28, there being only one generally cylindrical roller 35 co-acting therewith. The roller 35 is held against fall out, by retaining means 40 such as shown in the other figures of the drawings. The inside face of the casing 21 is smooth at 27 but provided with a plurality of axially extending serrations, flutes, ribs, teeth or the like as at 91 to grip the corner edges of a stud or nut.

I claim:

1. In a stud, or nut, gripper tool of the type having at least one roller, or pin, co-acting with a lobular cam face to move radially for gripping a stud or nut, the combination comprising:

an elongated, hollow tubular casing having an inner end and an outer end and having an inside elongated face with at least one axially extending lobe formed therein;

at least one elongated, axially-extending, generally cylindrical roller, having an inner end and an outer end, in rolling contact with one of said lobes to move radially while moving circumferentially relative thereto;

retaining means mouted within said casing in engagement with the inner ends of said rollers for maintaining said rollers in rolling contact with said lobular inner face;

The outer ends of each said roller being free to roll and tilt, on the outer end of said lobular face, relative to the central longitudinal axis of said casing, when the outer ends of said rollers engage and tighten on a stud during turning of said casing on said axis.

2. A stud gripper tool as specified in claim 1 wherein:

each said roller is cylindrical at the said outer end thereof but includes at least one recess in the said inner end thereof and said retaining means is a hollow cylindrical ferrule, or tube, having a projection thereon received loosely in said recess for preventing fall out while permitting roll and tilt thereof.

3. A stud gripper tool as specified in claim 1 wherein:

each said roller is cylindrical from said inner end to said outer end and said retaining means includes an annular, resilient spring member for resiliently and yieldably urging each said roller outwardly against said inner lobular face.

4. A stud gripper tool as specified in claim 1 wherein:

each said roller includes a projecting annular flange at the tip of the inner end thereof and said retaining means is an integral annular, inwardlyprojecting portion of said casing, having at least one axially extending aperture receiving the inner end of said roller, said aperture being of less diameter than the diameter of said flange.

5. A combination as specified in claim 1 wherein:

the outer ends of each said roller are exposed and the terminal tips thereof are flat, planar and generally coplanar with the outer edge of said casing whereby each roller is firmly backed throughout its gripping portion by said lobular cam face.

6. A combination as specified in claim 1 wherein:

said casing includes one said lobe for one said roller and the remaining inside elongated face of said casing is provided with a plurality of spaced axiallyextending flutes, ribs or teeth for receiving the corner edges of a stud or nut without slippage.

7. In a stud, or nut, gripper tool of the type having a plurality of rollers, or pins, each co-acting with a lobular cam face, the combination of:

an elongated, hollow tubular casing having an inside elongated face with a plurality of axially extending lobes formed therearound;

a plurality of elongated, axially extending cylindrical rollers, each having an inner end and an outer end and each in rolling contact with one of said lobes and spring means mounted within said casing in engagement with the inner ends of said rollers for resiliently and yieldably urging each said roller outwardly against said inner face each said roller being free to roll and tilt relative to the central longitudinal axis of said casing when the outer ends of said rollers tighten on a stud during turning of said casing.

8. A stud gripper tool as specified in claim 7 wherein:

each said cylindrical roller includes at least one enlarged flange extending circumferentially around the inner end thereof and said inner elongated lobular face includes a groove extending circumferentially therearound for loosely receiving the flanges of said rollers to retain the same against fallout.

9. A stud gripper tool as specified in claim 7 wherein:

each said roller includes a groove extending circumferentially around the inner end thereof and said inner elongated lobular face includes an inwardly projecting annular integral rib extending circumferentially therearound and received in the grooves of said rollers to prevent fallout thereof.

10. A stud gripper tool as specified in claim 7 wherein:

each said roller includes a plurality of spaced, sharp edged annular ribs, or teeth, separated by circumferential grooves and said inner elongated lobular face includes at least one inwardly projecting annular, integral rib, opposite the inner ends of said rollers and received in one of the inner end grooves thereof for preventing fallout.

11. A stud gripper tool as specified in claim 7 wherein:

said casing includes a hollow metal cylindrical tube, press fitted therein, opposite the inner ends of said rollers and centrally thereof for forming a housing for the upper end of a stud being gripped by said tool and said spring means is an annular, resilient, flexible element sleeved on the outside of said tube and urging said rollers outwardly.

12. A stud gripper tool as specified in claim 11 wherein:

said annular flexible element includes an integral annular enlarged flange extending about the upper tips of said rollers to form a resilient seat therefor.

13. A stud gripper tool as specified in claim 12 wherein:

said casing is generally cylindrical with a thin cylindrical wall, and

said rollers are of relatively small diameter whereby said wall fits between closely spaced studs to encircle one said stud and said small diameter cylindrical rollers obtain a firm grip over a substantial vertical area of the exposed portion of said stud.

14. A stud, or nut, gripper tool comprising a hollow elongated casing having a thin cylindrical side wall, an open outer end for encircling a stud, or nut, to be gripped and a partially closed inner end, said inner end having exterior means for turning by a wrench;

said thin cylindrical wall having an inner face formed with integral, axially extending spaced lobes, or cam faces, therearoud;

a plurality of elongated, generally cylindrical rollers, each having an exposed outer end proximate, and substantially flush with, the outer end of said casing, and an inner end proximate the inner end of said casing, each said roller being adapted to roll along one of said lobes and a roller retaining means, mounted in the inner end of said casing and in contact with the inner ends of said rollers for loosely retaining said rollers in position;

said rollers being otherwise free to roll and tilt relative to the central longitudinal axis of said casing when the exposed outer ends thereof are in gripping engagement with a stud.

15. A stud gripper tool as specified in claim 14 wherein:

said casing includes a hollow metal tube anchored in the inner end thereof and said retaining means is an annular rubber-like element mounted around said hollow metal tube.

16. A stud gripper tool is specified in claim 14 plus rib and groove means on said rollers and on said inner face for interengaging to prevent fallout of said rollers.

17. A stud gripper tool as specified in claim 14 wherein:

said casing includes a hollow metal tube press fitted in the inner end thereof and said retaining means is loosely fitting, integral rib and groove means on said tube and on the inner ends of said rollers. 

1. In a stud, or nut, gripper tool of the type having at least one roller, or pin, co-acting with a lobular cam face to move radially for gripping a stud or nut, the combination comprising: an elongated, hollow tubular casing having an inner end and an outer end and having an inside elongated face with at least one axially extending lobe formed therein; at least one elongated, axially-extending, generally cylindrical roller, having an inner end and an outer end, in rolling contact with one of said lobes to move radially while moving circumferentially relative thereto; retaining means mouted within said casing in engagement with the inner ends of said rollers for maintaining said rollers in rolling contact with said lobular inner face; The outer ends of each said roller being free to roll and tilt, on the outer end of said lobular face, relative to the central longitudinal axis of said casing, when the outer ends of said rollers engage and tighten on a stud during turning of said casing on said axis.
 2. A stud gripper tool as specified in claim 1 wherein: each said roller is cylindrical at the said outer end thereof but includes at least one recess in the said inner end thereof and said retaining means is a hollow cylindrical ferrule, or tube, having a projection thereon received loosely in said recess for preventing fall out while permitting roll and tilt thereof.
 3. A stud gripper tool as specified in claim 1 wherein: each said roller is cylindrical from said inner end to said outer end and said retaining means includes an annular, resilient spring member for resiliently and yieldably urging each said roller outwardly against said inner lobular face.
 4. A stud gripper tool as specified in claim 1 wherein: each said roller includes a projecting annular flange at the tip of the inner end thereof and said retaining means is an integral annular, inwardly-projecting portion of said casing, having at least one axially extending aperture receiving the inner end of said roller, said aperture being of less diameter than the diameter of said flange.
 5. A combination as specified in claim 1 wherein: the outer ends of each said roller are exposed and the terminal tips thereof are flat, planar and generally coplanar with the outer edge of said casing whereby each roller is firmly backed throughout its gripping portion by said lobular cam face.
 6. A combination as specified in claim 1 wherein: said casing includes one said lobe for one said roller and the remaining inside elongated face of said casing is provided with a plurality of spaced axially-extending flutes, ribs or teeth for receiving the corner edges of a stud or nut without slippage.
 7. In a stud, or nut, gripper tool of the type having a plurality of rollers, or pins, each co-acting with a lobular cam face, the combination of: an elongated, hollow tubular casing having an inside elongated face with a plurality of axially extending lobes formed therearound; a plurality of elongated, axially extending cylindrical rollers, each having an inner end and an outer end and each in rolling contact with one of said lobes and spring means mounted within said casing in engagement with the inner ends of said rollers for resiliently and yieldably urging each said roller outwardly against said inner face each said roller being free to roll and tilt relative to the central longitudinal axis of said casing when the outer ends of said rollers tighten on a stud during turning of said casing.
 8. A stud gripper tool as specified in claim 7 wherein: each said cylindrical roller includes at least one enlarged flange extending circumferentially around the inner end thereof and said inner elOngated lobular face includes a groove extending circumferentially therearound for loosely receiving the flanges of said rollers to retain the same against fallout.
 9. A stud gripper tool as specified in claim 7 wherein: each said roller includes a groove extending circumferentially around the inner end thereof and said inner elongated lobular face includes an inwardly projecting annular integral rib extending circumferentially therearound and received in the grooves of said rollers to prevent fallout thereof.
 10. A stud gripper tool as specified in claim 7 wherein: each said roller includes a plurality of spaced, sharp edged annular ribs, or teeth, separated by circumferential grooves and said inner elongated lobular face includes at least one inwardly projecting annular, integral rib, opposite the inner ends of said rollers and received in one of the inner end grooves thereof for preventing fallout.
 11. A stud gripper tool as specified in claim 7 wherein: said casing includes a hollow metal cylindrical tube, press fitted therein, opposite the inner ends of said rollers and centrally thereof for forming a housing for the upper end of a stud being gripped by said tool and said spring means is an annular, resilient, flexible element sleeved on the outside of said tube and urging said rollers outwardly.
 12. A stud gripper tool as specified in claim 11 wherein: said annular flexible element includes an integral annular enlarged flange extending about the upper tips of said rollers to form a resilient seat therefor.
 13. A stud gripper tool as specified in claim 12 wherein: said casing is generally cylindrical with a thin cylindrical wall, and said rollers are of relatively small diameter whereby said wall fits between closely spaced studs to encircle one said stud and said small diameter cylindrical rollers obtain a firm grip over a substantial vertical area of the exposed portion of said stud.
 14. A stud, or nut, gripper tool comprising a hollow elongated casing having a thin cylindrical side wall, an open outer end for encircling a stud, or nut, to be gripped and a partially closed inner end, said inner end having exterior means for turning by a wrench; said thin cylindrical wall having an inner face formed with integral, axially extending spaced lobes, or cam faces, therearoud; a plurality of elongated, generally cylindrical rollers, each having an exposed outer end proximate, and substantially flush with, the outer end of said casing, and an inner end proximate the inner end of said casing, each said roller being adapted to roll along one of said lobes and a roller retaining means, mounted in the inner end of said casing and in contact with the inner ends of said rollers for loosely retaining said rollers in position; said rollers being otherwise free to roll and tilt relative to the central longitudinal axis of said casing when the exposed outer ends thereof are in gripping engagement with a stud.
 15. A stud gripper tool as specified in claim 14 wherein: said casing includes a hollow metal tube anchored in the inner end thereof and said retaining means is an annular rubber-like element mounted around said hollow metal tube.
 16. A stud gripper tool is specified in claim 14 plus rib and groove means on said rollers and on said inner face for interengaging to prevent fallout of said rollers.
 17. A stud gripper tool as specified in claim 14 wherein: said casing includes a hollow metal tube press fitted in the inner end thereof and said retaining means is loosely fitting, integral rib and groove means on said tube and on the inner ends of said rollers. 